The Princess of Talys

RP blog for Caeda, post-Shadow Dragon, pre-New Mystery. || Follows from LdotRage.

[wing-spear]

Brief Hiatus

Some personal stuff came up, and I won’t be able to RP for a little bit -- possibly around a week? I’m sorry about this

[wing-spear]

mysticallities‌:

“Often times, yes.” She says, staff vanishing but barrier staying up. It was a barrier in the form of a half-circle, airtight and absorbant. “Any lightning bolts that strike will immediately misdirect themselves to more favorable areas.” She explains, sitting on air, it would seem. A trick of the eye? Perhaps.

Loki flowed a hand through her hair and turns around to stare at Caeda. “Have a seat, my dear. You’re very welcome.” Loki stated, patting the air a few inches to her right. The sorceress crosses her legs and leans back, pink eyes focused on the rumbling clouds overhead. Things were about to get loud.

Slowly, Caeda sits down, folding her legs underneath her. When she beckons, Tempest lies down beside her, folding his wings.

The silence is short-lived. Above their heads, lightning flashes, and it’s followed quickly by a roar of thunder. Tempest immediately whinnies in fear, his head snapping up, but Caeda intercepts him before he can get back to his feet, stroking his mane soothingly. “Shh... you’re alright,” she murmurs.

Turning her attention back to Loki, Caeda smiles faintly. “I used to cloud gaze a lot,” she admits, “but I wasn’t allowed to go out when it was raining, and certainly not when it was storming. Still, I suppose I see the appeal. It’s... quite magnificent.”

[wing-spear]

Change, Death, and Disease!!! (fwom wozy)

Change: What was a turning point in your muse’s life?

The obvious answer would be the beginning of the War of Shadows when she went from being the princess of a small island nation to one of the frontline fighters in a war, but Caeda would actually say that the biggest turning point in her life was a year before the war started, when she first met and became enamored with Marth. Talys was a relatively isolated nation, and the betrayal of Gra came out of nowhere, so, before this, Caeda was only vaguely aware that the rest of Archanea was embroiled in war. Being able to meet Marth, who was driven from his homeland and his parents slaughtered, came as a huge wake-up call, and she had already made up her mind to help him when he finally returned to Altea long before they actually departed from Talys. 

Death: Name one thing your muse has lost that they wish they could get back.

Although they’re all still young and relatively spry, Caeda and her closest companions are no longer in good health after the war. That is what she misses most about her life before the war--her health. Both her physical health, which was compromised by the injuries she’s sustained (being forced to limp around when her bad leg acts up always frustrates her deeply), and her mental health, which deteriorated during the war as well, leaving her and many of her friends with PTSD. Having a nightmare, panicking over something small, or flinching away from loud noises frustrates her even more than limping on her bad leg; she’s ashamed of herself for being hurt by these things when the war is already over (despite the fact that she can’t stand when Marth blames himself for his own mental illnesses).

Disease: What does your muse do on a sick day?

Hoo boy. Caeda is very much an “I’m not sick, [sneeze], I’m totally fine,” kind of person. At the first signs of illness, Caeda will immediately try to hide it--if her throat is sore and her voice raspy, then she’ll down several cups of milk tea to sound less hoarse; if she’s pale or pallid, she’ll bust out some face powder, which she usually avoids using because it makes her face itch; if she’s coughing or sneezing, she’ll try to hide and/or smother them behind her elbow. More than anything, she despises being taken care of, although, in the end, she’s usually caught, and one of her companions (cough, Marth) or retainers will rush her into bed and insist she stays there. Being cooped up like that always puts her in an extraordinarily sour mood, though.

[wing-spear]

Blood and/or Curses?

Blood: What’s the worst injury your muse has ever had?

Caeda was injured a lot during the war since she was A) a princess and therefore a prime target, and B) almost always on the front lines. Most of the injuries were fairly light, though, and she received help from the healers very quickly. Once, however, her left leg was badly injured in the middle of an intense fight and she wasn’t able to get help for a long time. While the injury is healed now, it left a nasty scar that sometimes acts up and makes her limp if she walks on it too much.

Curses: Does your muse believe in good/bad luck? How about karma?

She doesn’t believe that luck or karma is a force in the universe that causes things to happen, but the idea that some people are inherently lucky or unlucky makes some sense to her. When it comes to karma, she doesn’t think that it happens automatically--for example, that bad people will have bad things happen to them, or that good people will be rewarded--but she does believe that those things should happen, and she tries to make them happen when she can. So, in a way, she believes in karma, but, again, she doesn’t think it’s a force in the universe.

[wing-spear]

mysticallities‌:

Loki feigns a sigh, turning away and falling to her knees. “Oh, my fair maiden heart!” She sniffles, holding an arm over her eyes. “You’d sacrifice the life of your Pegasus for this? How noble.” She fake sniffles and stands up again, grinning. “Tch, and I tried to play the villain. Oh well~” She shrugs her shoulders and walks towards Caeda once more. Her staff formed into her right hand, the woman raising it and twirling it around betwixt her fingers.

Whilst she did, a circular barrier covering a range of twelve feet sprung up around the three. “This should keep us all dry.” She may have liked to see the rain and (most importantly) thunder, but she wasn’t willing to get her clothes wet while she watched.

Caeda startles as the barrier forms around them, not expecting the display of magic. Of course, Tempest rears up for a moment, and she hastens to comfort him; like most pegasi, he always shies away from magic, but he’s quick to regain his confidence when there are no further spells.

“I... thank you,” she says uncertainly after a moment. Her instinctual protectiveness of Tempest hasn’t yet faded, and she has to stop herself from stepping between Loki and the pegasus, even though she knows, logically, that Loki isn’t going to harm him. “Do you... often watch storms like this? I suppose this big, empty field would make for a good place to cloud gaze.”

[horrificmemes]

Fear-Themed Headcanon Questions

Send one (or a few) to my muse and they’ll answer: 

Spiders: Does your muse squish bugs or put them outside? The Dark: Did your muse sleep with a nightlight as a child? Snakes: Would your muse ever keep an unusual/exotic pet? Blood: What’s the worst injury your muse has ever had? Clowns: Does your muse prefer comedy? Or horror? Mirrors: What is your muse’s least favorite thing about their appearance? Tight Space: Does your muse ever feel that they’re not living up to their own potential? Closet Monsters: Does your muse hide any aspects of their personality/life from others? Crowds: What does your muse think of big cities? Death: Name one thing your muse has lost that they wish they could get back. Ghosts: Has your muse ever seen something they couldn’t explain? Needles: Does your muse have a strong stomach? Curses: Does your muse believe in good/bad luck? How about karma? Heights: Is your muse a risk-taker? Solitude: Name 3 things your muse couldn’t live without. Fire: Would your muse rather be very cold, or very hot? Failure: Has your muse ever given up on an important dream? Abandonment: How would your muse win back someone who left them? The Unknown: Is your muse a philosophical person? Boogeyman: What position does your muse sleep in? Falling: What does your muse think about falling in love or commitment?  Change: What was a turning point in your muse’s life? Disease: What does your muse do on a sick day? Number 13: Does your muse believe any superstitions?  Noise: Name one sound your muse finds absolutely unbearable. Insects: Name something your muse finds gross or annoying.  Dolls: Has your muse ever collected something? Getting Old: Would your muse rather live 50 years loved, or 200 years alone? Social Phobia: Does your muse consider themselves an outgoing person?

[wing-spear]

🌠

🌠 - Would your muse make a wish on a star? If so, what would they wish for?

Caeda would definitely wish upon a star; wishing on stars is exactly the sort of thing she would do--something that’s only really based on legends and superstition, but it’s harmless to try, so she might as well. She isn’t convinced that wishing on a star works, but she does believe that there’s some sort of magic involved in shooting stars. She would wish by blowing out a dandelion, too.

During the war, Caeda would wish for an end to the fighting and restoration of peace to Archanea. Now that the war is over, though, she’s most likely to wish for eternal happiness and safety for her loved ones--particularly Marth.

[wing-spear]

mysticallities‌:

Loki’s hand brushed Caeda’s own, although it didn’t appear to move… an illusion perhaps? The Sorceress smiles kindly at the girl, then actually shakes her hand, right hand shaking Caeda’s hand. “Do you not recognize me? I figured everyone might. Ah well, it is no big matter.” Loki shrugs her shoulders and moves a hand to her chin, eyes closing. The Sorceress rolls her shoulders and steps towards Tempest. “Even up close, the beauty is otherworldly. Your words are truthful, young one.” Loki complimented.

Her brows furrow as she contemplates Caeda’s inquiry, an answer forming across her mind as she continues to stroke the pegasus’s fur. “Storms are a work of art to me. I like to watch them roll in… your Pegasus might not fare well, but surely you must know that given your penchant for wanting to leave.” Loki smirked, tilting her head to the right. “I can remove the storm, but you must do one thing for me: Give me your Pegasus.” Loki’s smirk widens, a wicked variation of it emerging.

The fake-out handshake catches Caeda off-guard, but she refuses to be thrown off. “Ah, I recognize your name,” she admits after a moment, “though I don’t think we’ve ever met before.”

Tempest is still antsy from the storm, and he eyes Loki warily as she approaches, but a reassuring pat from Caeda calms him down, and he docilely allows Loki to stroke him.

Now that the focus is on Tempest, Caeda allows herself to relax. Unfortunately, this also means that Loki’s sudden request completely blindsides her. For a moment, she just stares, wide-eyed and mouth gaping, before she manages to collect herself.

Her response comes easily. “No,” she says simply, turning to face Loki fully with both arms stiff at her sides. “Absolutely not. Tempest is my closest companion, and I, his. He is not up for sale--or for barter.”

Beside her, Tempest rears and tosses his head, and Caeda realizes that she’s begun to raise her voice. She hastily cuts herself off, closing her eyes and taking a slow, deep breath. Once she’s calmed herself down a bit, she opens her eyes again and places a hand on Tempest’s flank. The spooked pegasus continues to whinny uneasily, but he stops tossing his head, instead staring at her with big, alert eyes.

Finally, she looks back towards Loki. “I’m sorry,” she says, “but, if the storm comes, it comes. Tempest and I will ride it out together.” She hesitates, then slowly adds, “If you’re so determined to strike a deal with me, you’ll have to make another offer. Tempest is a friend; he isn’t mine to give away.”

[wing-spear]

🌺 - Does your muse have a favorite flower? Why do they like it? 💅 - How does your muse feel about gender roles? Do they conform to them, or do they play by their own rules?

🌺 - Does your muse have a favorite flower? Why do they like it?

Caeda has VERY strong opinions about flowers. Talys was full of pretty unique vegetation, and, culturally, flowers and flower language are very significant in Talys. Caeda prefers wildflowers to garden flowers, but she still loves both; her favorite flowers are probably amaryllis or birds of paradise.

💅 - How does your muse feel about gender roles? Do they conform to them, or do they play by their own rules?

Though Caeda doesn’t necessarily reject traditionally feminine things, such as the color pink, sewing, dresses, etc., she doesn’t conform to them, either. The idea of acting in a certain way or doing certain things because she’s a girl makes no sense to her. It wouldn’t even make her angry if someone tried to tell her that she couldn’t fight because of her gender; it would just baffle her. This way of thinking is a bit odd on Talys, but she isn’t necessarily viewed as rebellious, just eccentric (and, since she’s the princess and her father is a bit too much of a pushover to tell her off, no one really has the authority to make her stop).

TL;DR - Other people generally consider her a “tomboy”, but it isn’t an intentional rejection of feminity; the idea of separating traits and abilities into gendered categories is just foreign to her.

[wing-spear]

mysticallities‌:

Pink lips curl into a mischeivious smile. Loki, steps backwards, eyeing the pegasus. “Such a beautiful creature you have, it looks well maintained as well.” She commented, eyes finding themselves on Caeda soon enough. With a hand with movements as graceful as a swan, the woman holds it outward and summons her staff, Thökk, into her palm. She pulls her hand back and holds the staff with both hands, length-wise, transferring the staff from right to left, then left to right.

With a flourish, her right hand slams the staff into the ground, using her magic to create a circle of flowers blooming outward endlessly. “Would be a shame if the fire burned all these beautiful flowers to the ground. Then again…” She rescinded the weapon, the flowers vanishing and grass becoming the mainstay once again. Loki trailed off, smirking. She throws her staff into the air and making it vanish by way of a simple hand-waving. Was it really that easy? She certainly made it appear to be.

“My name is Loki… surely you must have heard of me.” No tricks, this time.

“Ah, thank you,” Caeda says, brightening up immediately at the mention of Tempest. “I’ve known him for a long time! He’s very gentle, so, if you’d like to... approach him...”

She trails off, losing her train of thought, as the stranger pulls out a staff. Flowers bloom beneath their feet in a beautiful array of colors, and Caeda watches, transfixed. Only when the flowers vanish does she snap out of her trance, and she quickly looks back up, just in time to see the staff disappear with a wave of the stranger’s hand.

So she is armed, after all--and, not only that, she seems to be more than proficient with her magic. Caeda is relieved that she’s in no danger, but, at the same time...

She doesn’t want to be suspicious of someone who hasn’t done anything wrong, but...

“Ah... Loki, was it?” Caeda’s mind races. Loki--she certainly had heard that name before. Perhaps she had a good reason to be suspicious, after all. Then again... as far as Caeda knew, Loki wasn’t evil by nature--the Summoner had even joined forces with Loki at least once, though that may have been a Loki from a different world...?

Closing her eyes, Caeda shook her head roughly. No, no; she was overthinking this. Loki hadn’t attacked her or done anything with malicious intent, so she would have to trust her.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Caeda said, scrounging up a bright smile and offering a handshake. “So... what are you doing out here? If you don’t mind me asking.” With this storm coming on, it wasn’t as if she could return to the castle safely; pegasi were prime targets for lightning bolts. Might as well try to play nice.

[assortedrpmemes]

Thought-Provoking Headcanon Meme

Send a symbol and I’ll answer the question about my muse. (Or answer in character. Whatever works for you!)

⛔️ - How does your muse react to others breaking the law? If they would do it themselves, what is their reasoning? 🚑 - If your muse was the only person around and someone was injured, would they help? Would they have the experience needed? 💸 - What does your muse think of wealthy people? Do they resent them, or do they believe they earned what they have? 🆘 - What does your muse think of poor people? Do they think they’re a waste of space, or do they want to help them? 📩 - Does your muse prefer to physically write letters or send them online? What is their reasoning? 📢 - Does your muse have a loud personality or a quiet one? Do they enjoy being the center of attention, or would they rather watch and listen? 📊 - How does your muse feel about the state of the world? Could it be better? Could it be worse? 👨 - What is your muse’s relationship like with their father? Is it good, bad, or complicated? 👩 - What is your muse’s relationship like with their mother? Is it good, bad, or complicated? 👧 - What is your muse’s relationship like with their siblings? Who do they get along with best? 👶 - If they have any, what is your muse’s relationship like with their children? Do they feel like they’re a good parent? 👻 - Does your muse believe in an afterlife? What do they think it’s like? ⏰ - Does your muse feel like they need to do things quickly or do they take their time? ⌛️ - How often does your muse think about death? Do they think about it at all? 🔗 - What are your muse’s standards for meaningful relationships? How quickly do they form relationships like these? 🚹 - How would your muse react to losing their father? How would they cope? 🚺 - How would your muse react to losing their mother? How would they cope? 🚼 - How would your muse react to losing a child? How would they cope? 💧 - How would your muse react to losing a best friend? How would they cope? 💔 - How would your muse react to losing a romantic partner? How would they cope? 🐜 - How does your muse feel about animal lives? Do they treat them the same way they’d treat a person, or do they feel they’re inferior? 🌎 - Does your muse want to change the world? How would they go about it? 🎭 - How does your muse handle their emotions? Do they bottle them up or pour them out as soon as they start to feel? 💋 - How does your muse feel about people who cheat? Do they see a reason for it, or is it completely immoral? 🌠 - Would your muse make a wish on a star? If so, what would they wish for? 🎁 - Does your muse celebrate their birthday? If yes, how do they celebrate? If no, why not? 🍟 - How does your muse feel about their body? Would they change it if they could? 💅 - How does your muse feel about gender roles? Do they conform to them, or do they play by their own rules? 🌺 - Does your muse have a favorite flower? Why do they like it?

[wing-spear]

☆～（ゝ。∂）, ｡ﾟ(TヮT)ﾟ｡ , ♪ !!!!!!!!! I LOVE U CAEDA

☆～（ゝ。∂）= How the character greets people

Caeda is very straightforward and sociable. Even if it’s someone she doesn’t know--or even someone who intimidates her--she’ll stride right up to them with a big smile and cheerfully ask for their name. If the person gets hostile or cold, she’ll act even more cheerful and smiley, but, if they seem shy or put-off, she’ll tone it down a little bit--only a little bit, though. She also almost always offers a handshake.

｡ﾟ(TヮT)ﾟ｡ = What makes the character laugh

She has two laughs, in a way. One is a soft giggle that she usually hides behind her hand. That’s how she laughs when other people make jokes or when she’s teasing someone. She can also giggle on demand, usually when she’s trying to get someone to lighten up or ease tension in the room.

Now, Caeda’s real laugh is a very loud, breathy cackle. As in: only slightly less shrill than a stereotypical witch’s laugh. It’s very noisy, very boisterous, very much not a “proper” or “ladylike” noise, and it’s usually strong enough to make her double over or sometimes even collapse. Not much can get her to laugh like that; it usually only happens when something she finds hilarious happens unexpectedly, without giving her time to brace herself.

♪ = What music the character likes

Caeda doesn’t have a favorite song, or even a favorite type of song, per se, but she does favor certain instruments over others. She likes songs that include drums and strings, and she generally prefers faster tempos to slower ones. She also likes flute music. When she hears a bard playing, though, she can only focus on either the music or the words; she can’t listen to both at the same time.

[wing-spear]

(≧∇≦) = What makes the character happy

The obvious (and somewhat trite) answer is “her friends’ happiness”. It’s silly, but true; something as simple as seeing Ogma share a laugh with his men or watching Marth fawn over a young animal never fails to make her heart swell. Flying with Tempest also makes her feel on top of the world, no pun intended. As a young girl, she couldn’t do much traveling or exploring, and, even if she could have left the palace, Talys is a small, isolated island kingdom; there was nowhere to go. So the feeling of being able to fly around freely above the clouds is absolutely euphoric to her.

On a smaller scale, she also likes to indulge in the occasional sappy romance novel. Not the smutty ones with brooding love interests; the ones where childhood friends reconnect and their feelings are kindled anew, or where two people damaged by personal trauma help each other heal and be happy again. You can sometimes catch her walking around with a big, dopey smile on her face after finishing one of these books. With that said, she hides them religiously and gets rid of them once she’s done with them, and you couldn’t get her to admit to reading them under threat of death.

[wing-spear]

(⑅ ‘﹃’ ) = What the character daydreams or thinks about

Caeda tends to get lost in thought a lot. Growing up on a small island, in a small castle, where there were very few children her age to spend time with, she had to keep herself entertained for long periods of time. Nowadays, she still daydreams a lot, often while cloud gazing or taking a ride with Tempest.

It isn’t unheard of for her to think about serious things, such as what she plans to do when she succeeds her father to the Talysian throne and any serious worries that she might have about her friends’ health and happiness. Other times, she just lets her mind drift, often imagining her friends and family flying alongside her. She has this recurring daydream of Marth riding behind her on Tempest and wrapping his arms around her waist, but she’s hesitant to actually offer him a ride for fear of Tempest acting up.

[deceptive-fox]

Headcanons list! (Add more if you wish)

½ = How the character feels about people taller or shorter than them

± = The character and what they think about math

† = How the character feels about murder

@ = How the character appears online

¥ = How the character handles money or spends it

° = The character’s temperature preferences 

æ = The character and languages (Known or Want to Learn)

↔ = The character’s ability to read directions

♥ = Character’s preference for relationships (sexuality, type of person, etc.)

zzz= What time the character enjoys sleep or being awake

☂ = Weather the character enjoys

♪ = What music the character likes

( =①ω①=) = What animals the character likes and if they have a pet/pets

(・∀・ ) = The character’s emotional state most of the time

☆～（ゝ。∂）= How the character greets people

⊙﹏☉ = What flusters the character

(≧∇≦) = What makes the character happy

(/□＼*)・゜ = What makes the character blush

(;╹⌓╹) = What scares the character

（；へ：） = What makes the character cry

(´ q ` ” ) = The character’s “guilty” pleasure

（・□・；） = What makes the character uncomfortable

(*^◇^)_旦 = What the character likes to eat and drink

｡ﾟ(TヮT)ﾟ｡ = What makes the character laugh

(´；Д；｀) = What worries the character

(⑅ ‘﹃’ ) = What the character daydreams or thinks about

( ⌒o⌒)人(⌒-⌒ ) = Friends the character has or would like to make

[wing-spear]

mysticallities‌:

“Drenched?” Loki didn’t have her staff out. The woman folds her hands and turned toward the girl, a devious smile lining her lips. “What do you mean, storm?” She asks, as if questioning the girl’s sanity. “All I see is harmony, peace… solace in the gray clouds~ the storm~” She explains, stepping back. The clouds above were stirring and rapid, flashes of blue and white roaring within, the cloud’s growling echoing across the land. “I enjoy seeing storms, but the destruction caused to the land often makes me worry~ what would happen if this entire field was destroyed by those clouds?” She asked, pouting. A straight-faced lie, Loki couldn’t care less! In fact.. she yearned for the destruction, craved it. Now, she tackled the girl’s inquiry, “Me? Simply basking in the display before me, admiring nature.” She explains. The war mention piqued her interest, but she didn’t wish to start a seminar with this girl. One thing at a time.

Loki shifts her weight onto one heel and stared at the girl. “Who would you be, exactly?” The woman backs up and runs a hand through her hair, her hat’s ornaments moving and swaying as she moved her hands.

“Harmony?” Caeda asks, caught off-guard by the strange answer. She follows the strange woman’s gaze up at the clouds--jeez, the storm’s really starting to roll in now. “I... suppose there’s a certain kind of peace in storm clouds,” she says after a moment. It’s a bit of a strange reason to be out here, but this woman doesn’t... seem to be lying--and, besides, who is she to judge? She used to be an avid cloud watcher as a kid, so it’s not as if she doesn’t understand the appeal.

“Like you said, though, storms can be dangerous. If lightning strikes dry wood, it could easily cause a forest fire big enough to burn down the whole plain.” Caeda frowns at the thought. It isn’t very likely, but it’s certainly possible, and the idea makes her a bit nervous. “If that’s the case, though...” She turns back to the woman. “Aren’t you afraid you’ll get caught up in the fire if that does happen?”

Caeda considers this for a moment, then shakes the thoughts out of her head. “Oh--I’m sorry, where are my manners?” She smiles and holds out her hand for a shake. “My name is Caeda. I live over to the west, in the Askran Castle. Tempest and I--” she gestures over her shoulder to her pegasus, who tosses his head at the sound of his name-- “were just out here to scout for enemy camps.”

At that reminder, she frowns. “We didn’t find any encampments,” she admits, “but... may I ask: do you have a means of defending yourself? These are dangerous times to be out and about... I couldn’t in good conscience leave you here if you aren’t armed, at least.”

[wing-spear]

runaway--prince‌:

Caeda’s flustered, but it’s nothing in comparison to Marth. 

Every coherent thought in his mind has completely evaporated, leaving him nothing but a flustered mess, with his knees drawn to his chest and his face held in his hands.

He hears Caeda yelling at him and gods, can he only think about how her skin felt against his lips. He curls up even tighter and– oh, those high pitched noises were coming from him. 

“I-I sincerely apologize, Cae-Caeda,” He manages, still hiding behind his hands. “I-I wasn’t- I didn’t consider- I didn’t think- Oh, gods, I’m so sorry. I should’ve- I didn’t think I would- I didn’t think-,”

Gods, he really did that! He really just- Oh, by Naga’s grace, he kissed her. He really did that, he really did that-

Marth realizes that he’s been stammering out apologies and various excuses for a solid thirty seconds and peeks out from between his fingers at Caeda and OH, SHE’S TOUCHING THE PLACE HE-

He stumbles out of his chair, wheezing.

“No, that’s--that’s not the--that’s not the problem--that’s--”

Gods, she shouldn’t have yelled, and, more importantly, she should be reassuring him right now, but she just--can’t seem to--get the words out. By Naga, is this what Marth feels like whenever he stutters? Caeda doesn’t usually have that problem. She’s usually the composed one. But she’s still shell-shocked, and the words aren’t exactly coming easily right now--

“Marth, you’re fine, you’re--the k-ki--that was fine--” (Oh, her mind sneers, fine? What a glowing endorsement for a kiss.) “I’m not mad that you--that you k--it just doesn’t count!” she blusters, ignoring the persistent flush on her cheeks. “I-it just doesn’t count--as an arm wrestle! Because k-kissing your opponent is cheating, and...!”

She trails off, her chest heaving and heart racing like she’d just sprinted all the way here from Talys. Judging by Marth’s expression, her little tirade isn’t really helping matters. Yelling at Marth was never a good plan--she knew this well--and she knew it would take more than a few paltry reassurances to convince him that it was alright. But what else could she do?

...Well. She knows exactly what else she can do. She’s just... incredibly nervous at the thought, and not nearly composed enough to overcome those particular nerves at the moment.

But it wasn’t as if Marth hadn’t been nervous when he... when he did that, and he’d still gone through with it, so... wasn’t this the least she could do?

“...”

Caeda had never been much for deliberation. She preferred acting to sitting around considering whether to act. And she always preferred the course of action that would spare Marth the most pain.

Squeezing her eyes shut and ignoring the fluttering in her stomach, Caeda strode forward and pressed a lightning-quick peck against Marth’s cheek, closer to his lips than she’d intended. With that accomplished, she dared to pry her eyes back open.

When she didn’t, in fact, immediately die of mortification, she opened her mouth to say something, but she found that words failed her, and, instead, she leaned in again and landed another quick kiss on the same cheek before backing off, cheeks aflame.